Clapping and Whistling

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Imam Muhammad Ibn Abdil-Wahhab, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “They (i.e. the pre-Islamic people of ignorance) carried out worship by whistling and clapping their hands”.

Al-Allamah Salih Al-Fawzan, may Allah preserve him, said:

From the affairs (i.e. practices) of the pre-Islamic era of ignorance which Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, opposed was that they carried out worship – seeking closeness to Allah- through whistling and clapping. Allah, The Most High said:

وَمَا كَانَ صَلاَتُهُمْ عِندَ الْبَيْتِ إِلاَّ مُكَاء وَتَصْدِيَةً َ

And their prayer at the House (Ka’bah) was nothing but whistling and clapping of hands [Al-Anfal 35]

Meaning, the polytheists did not seek closeness to Allah at the noble kabah, except through whistling and clapping. Al-Mukaa means whistling and Tasdeeyah means clapping with the two hands and palms. They used to do this at the House of Allah and called it prayer- seeking nearness to Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, by through it. This is from the [matters] that the devils among mankind and jinn made fair seeming to them. This is because worship cannot be (carried out) except through that which Allah has legislated; it is Tawqeefiyyah (i.e. established based on the texts of the Shariah). A person should not initiate anything (i.e. acts of worship) or take it from someone else, while it is not legislated by Allah to be established as worship, nor does it have any origin in the Islamic legislation. And from this, the prohibition of these two traits -whistling and clapping- can be established, even if a person does not intend to perform worship through them, because there is resemblance to the polytheists in that.

And (with regards) to clapping, the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,  specifically permitted it for the women when there is a need, such as informing the Imam (i.e. by clapping) if he makes a mistake in the prayer. And that is because of the Fitna – if men are present- that may take place from her voice. It is neither permissible for a man to imitate the unbelievers nor a women by way of clapping. If it the case that clapping is not permissible for men out of necessity with regards to informing the Imam when he makes a mistake in the prayer, rather he informs the Imam by way of Tasbeeh [i.e. saying سبحان الله], then it not being allowed when there is no necessity is even a stronger reason. In this there is rebuttal against those men who whistle in the gatherings in resemblance to the disbelievers.

Source: An Excerpt from Sharh Masaa’il Al-Jaahiliyyah. Page:104-105. Slightly paraphrased